1998: Engaged to Kelley Phleger.
Auditioned for the part of Sonny Crockett in Miami Vice while he was in Miami working on a low-budget film about Vietnam called Cease Fire (1985).
Beat out Nick Nolte, Jeff Bridges, Richard Dean Anderson, Mark Harmon, Larry Wilcox and Gary Cole for the role of Sonny Crockett on "Miami Vice" (1984).
Before hitting it big on TV's "Miami Vice" (1984), appeared on "The Dating Game" (1965) as one of the "three eligible bachelors" and was not chosen.
Best known by the public for his starring roles as Det. Sonny Crockett in "Miami Vice" (1984), and the title character in "Nash Bridges" (1996).
Came up with the idea for "Las Vegas" (2003), and was planning to produce and star in it himself. The show was going to be called "Casino Eye".
Children: Atherton Grace Johnson (born December 28, 1999 at 7 lbs. 15 oz.), Jasper Breckenridge Johnson (born June 6, 2002 in Los Angeles, California), and Deacon James Johnson (born April 29, 2006 at 27.5 inches, 7 pounds Los Angeles, California) (with wife Kelley Phleger); Dakota Johnson (born October 4, 1989) (with then-wife Melanie Griffith); Jesse Johnson (born December 7, 1982) (with ex-girlfriend Patti D'Arbanville).
Co-wrote a two-hour movie with his neighbor Hunter S. Thompson. The movie was not picked up, but CBS bought the story and turned it into "Nash Bridges" (1996).
Considered for David Caruso's role on "CSI: Miami" (2002).
Considered for the part of Ed Deline on "Las Vegas" (2003). James Caan got the part.
Considered for the part of John McClane in Die Hard (1988).
Considers himself to be done with cop shows, but doesn't rule out joining a show "if it were international in scope and global in nature".
During pre-production of "Miami Vice" (1984), he wanted Sonny Crockett to be "more of a cowboy", and suggested "a lot of denim, V-neck sweaters and cowboy boots". He was really unsure about how the heavy use of pastel and bright colors would fit the macho, no-nonsense persona of his character, but producer Michael Mann and costume designer Jodie Lynn Tillen managed to convince him. They saw Crockett more in the lines of a beach bum. Johnson relented and as a result became one of the biggest fashion symbols of the 1980s.
Ex-son-in-law of Tippi Hedren and Peter Griffith.
Galco designed a special shoulder holster especially for him to use on "Miami Vice" (1984). It was called the "Miami Classic". In the Galco Gunleather headquarters, there is a large display that contains the Miami Vice shoulder holster rig that Johnson wore, accompanied by an autographed photo of him.
Good friend of Nick Nolte.
Good friends with Bruce Willis, Kevin Costner, Sylvester Stallone, Robert Wagner and Jack Nicholson.
Got his big break into stardom by starring in the controversial off-Broadway play "Fortune and Men's Eyes", which was directed by and starred Sal Mineo. The play, which featured a realistic rape scene in a men's prison, generated plenty of press reviews due to the once taboo subject of homosexuality in the arts.
Has a family in Colorado with whom he used to celebrate Christmas.